ANISA NANDAULA

At just 27 years, Anisa Nandaula has already amassed a loyal legion of fans across the world with her warm and hilarious reflections on life, and growing up in Rockhampton, QLD. 

Starting out as a slam poet, during the pandemic days, her friend pointed out that she’s actually pretty funny. And, well, he was right. Tierney White had a chinwag with the funny firecracker ahead of her show at AANT Centre this month.

Anisa, great to chat. We're very excited to have you in Darwin next month! 
I can't wait … I did a show there last year and it was one of my favourite shows of the tour.

Why do you reckon it was one of your favourites? 
I thought people in Queensland were not politically correct – people in Darwin do not care. They’re like, “say whatever you want” and they're just happy to have a laugh out of all the cities and all the states.

I would agree with you that the audience up here doesn't mind a bit of a chuckle! So, your new show, No Small Talk, can you tell me a bit about it?  
Yeah, so No Small Talk was basically inspired by the fact that I wanted to create a show that was hard punch lines for 60 minutes – straight laughter – and it's a kind of show where you feel like you're meeting up with a good friend. We're not gonna talk about any on the surface topics. We're just gonna get straight into it.

Nice. And you’re 27 – your star is rising! Comedy’s not an easy career to choose, and as a comedian – let alone as a young black female comedian – you are absolutely killing it. I’m wondering what inspired you to get into it? 
Yeah, so I used to be a slam poet. That was my job. And then a friend of mine saw me performing and he was like, “oh, you're really funny, I think you'd make a good stand-up”. And I was like, “yeah, whatever”. But then when COVID happened, my friend just kept pestering me and then I did it and I fell in love. So, thanks to that friend.

And what’s your friend's name? 
His name is Marty.

All right, we're gonna give Marty a shout out in this one. 
Yeah, we love Marty.

Through your craft, you draw a lot upon your Ugandan/African heritage and that you grew up in Australia (Rockhampton). Did you ever expect we’d get such a kick out of it? 
Well, I didn't know the joke was being played. When I first came to Australia, I was like, “oh my god, this is incredible”. Only as an adult, when I tell people I moved to the most multicultural part, which is Rockhampton, all of them just die laughing, they're like “Sucked. In!”.

[Laughs]. That’s hilarious. And then, you know, you’ve confessed in your shows you’re a confident gal, do you reckon you get that from your mama? 
Yeah, I think so. I think my mum says whatever is on her head to anyone, so I definitely think I inherited that.

What's your mum's name? 
Luna.

Luna! Oh, I Iove that name. Yeah, she sounds like someone that I want to meet, actually. 
Well, she's listening to this now, on the [interview].

Is she? G'day, Luna! 
[Luna yelling from the back “Hello!”]

That's the best. And then, you know, obviously you're excited about coming back to Darwin, do you have any plans while you're up here? 
Oh my gosh. Because I was only there for a day, you know, so I didn't get to do anything … but I'm gonna try to visit all the best food places, so I'm gonna get some recs from the locals. I think I'm only there for a day. What do you think I can get done?

I mean, look, if you really want to see a crocodile, that’s achievable, because we have them on the main street. 
No?

Yeah, there's literally a place called Crocosaurus Cove that's got crocs in it. So, you can see a crocodile if you like. And then, I'd probably say, shoot down to the Waterfront. 

There's a beautiful new restaurant that's opened that actually is featured in this edition. But yeah, crocodile, good feed, go for a swim down at the Waterfront, soak up the Dry season. 
Oh, that sounds incredible. I don't know about the mixture between those crocodiles and go for a swim. Yeah, I'm excited to come down.

Yeah, as long as you're not the feed! And then one last question for you is what do you hope audience is experience at your show? 
I want them to have the most amount of fun in the world, and I want them to laugh until they cry. I want as many people in there with watery eyes. I had someone in my Brisbane show vomit. Yeah, I just want all the bodily fluids to expel because of the amount of laughter, that would just bring me so much joy.

[Laughs] That is too funny. Well, good luck to AANT Centre who are hosting you and going to have to clean up afterwards!

Anisa Nandaula ‑ No Small Talk 
WHEN SAT 18 JUL | 7.30PM 
AT AANT CENTRE 
COST $37 
INFO yourcentre.com.au